Peach Cobbler

The story

Cobblers developed in early American cooking when settlers adapted British steamed and baked puddings to limited equipment and available ingredients. Fruit was cooked in a pot or baking dish with rough dough placed above it rather than enclosed in pastry. Peach cobbler became especially associated with the South as peach cultivation expanded. It offers the comfort of pie with a more rustic construction. The peaches release fragrant juice that thickens around the fruit, while the topping bakes crisp above and remains soft where it meets the filling. A good cobbler tastes of ripe peaches rather than excessive sugar or spice. Peach cobbler appears at Southern Sunday dinners, barbecues, reunions and summer gatherings. It is commonly brought to the table in its baking dish and spooned out warm. Vanilla ice cream melting into the fruit and biscuit is part of its familiar appeal.

Ingredients

• Base
• 90 gram plain flour
• Dairy
• 90 millilitre milk
• 45 gram buttermelted in dish
• Main
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Sweetener or fruit
• 450 gram peachessliced into wedges
• 75 gram caster sugar
• 0.5 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

1. Prepare the peaches

   Slice peaches into wedges and toss with sugar and lemon juice. Let stand for 10 minutes to draw out juices.

   Look for: Peaches should look glossy and syrupy. Tip: Ripe seasonal peaches need less sugar. Avoid: Do not slice too thin or they collapse.

2. Heat the dish

   Put butter in a baking dish and place in a 180 C / 350 F oven until melted.

   Look for: Butter should melt and lightly foam. Tip: Melting butter in the dish helps create the cobbler edges. Avoid: Do not brown the butter too far.

3. Add batter and fruit

   Mix flour, baking powder, milk and some sugar into a loose batter. Pour over butter, then spoon peaches on top without stirring.

   Look for: Fruit should sit over the batter in patches. Tip: The batter rises around the peaches as it bakes. Avoid: Do not stir everything together.

4. Bake until golden

   Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 40-45 minutes until puffed and golden.

   Look for: The top should be golden with bubbling fruit at the edges. Tip: Rest for 15 minutes before serving with cream or ice cream. Avoid: Do not underbake the centre.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the upgraded serves-2 metric ingredient list; verify with a calculator before making health claims.